Sweden

WILDERNESS, ACTION AND THIS CULTURAL BEAUTY AWAITS!

It’s not easy holding your own in Europe, culturally or otherwise. But historic & hip Sweden does it with aplomb. Like its signature pick-what-you-want Smörgåsbord, the country abounds with historic sites (dating back to the Vikings), unspoilt outdoors (Lapland & midnight sun), indigenous culture and contemporary cool in design, literature, leisure and arts. Like one of its famed Nordic noir creations, it’s unputdownable as a holiday destination.

Must Dos

Ride a snowmobile.
Enjoy a scrumptious Smörgåsbord.
Make a beeline for Djugarden, Stockholm, where your little ones can choose between the Grona Lund amusement park, Junibacken with Pippi Longstocking themed exhibits, play areas and live theatres.
Check out Skansen, for the world’s oldest outdoor museum and the Stockholm zoo.
Wander around Gamla Stan, the medieval Old Town in Stockholm.
Pump up your Viking blood and follow the ancient trail to Uppsala, also home to the 13th century Uppsala Cathedral.
Catch the midnight sun at northerly Abisko or Kiruna.
Step into the first IKEA store in Älmhult, Småland.
Forget standard accommodation. Swedish hotels are quirky and memorable. Icehotel, Treehotel, hotel in a silver mine, inside a plane... get the picture?
Hop across to the second city Gothenburg, for world class seafood and art. The Gothenburg Museum of Art (Göteborgs konstmuseum) has the finest collection of 19th century Nordic art.
Visit Sweden’s largest Church Town Gammelstad (a World Heritage Site) situated in the Luleå archipelago. The church dates back to 1492 and is surrounded by wooden houses.

Track the elusive wolf and wolverine around the Skinnskatteberg area. The tour runs to Bergslagen, Dalarna and Hälsingland. Meet the country’s foremost wolf experts, on this outstandingly informative and eco-sensitive trip. Sightings are well worth the wait as you stay put in a wooden hide, for the animals to emerge. Bonuses include sightings of Moose, Roe Deer, Mountain Hare, Red Squirrel, Beaver, Otter and the rare Lynx. Authentic trackers are expected to try the wood heated sauna and finish with a dip in the ice!

Spend nights in a wooden hide (observation hut) to catch a glimpse of the brown bears of Sweden’s boreal forests. From June to September, you can go into these ancient forests to spot these magnificent mammals in their natural habitat. Moonlight bear safaris, outdoor picnics, sumptuous local produce and spotting other local wildlife like the Red Squirrel, Roe Deer, Elk, Black-throated Diver and Wood Sandpipers are highlights of the trips.

Take this unique form of transport to see the world’s last great wilderness, the Laponia. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it is also the only unmodified area (9400 sq kms) to be tended by the local populace, the Sami people. Get your team of huskies and slide across this white wonderland to see endless stretches of snow, mountains, frozen lakes and silent forests. The journey touches national parks like the Sarek. Another equally entrancing route is the trek from Sweden’s northernmost town Kiruna to the fabulous Icehotel at Jukkasjärvi.

Catch a ferry, a canoe or a cycle, but do island hop across the glorious Stockholm Archipelago. Unrivalled scenery, quaint summer houses, charming villages, outstanding beaches, ledges and cliffs are all yours. It packs in culture and history as well. On your trail are the resplendent Drottningholm Palace, the Wira Bruk ironworks and the ruins of the 8th century Viking town of Birka. The to-do things are ice yachting, sea kayaking and grilling your own catch at BBQ stations.

You’re sure to have a Sami guide or tracker on your dog sledding trips. Interact and learn about an ancient way that has thrived in these icy realms and one that’s wholly integrated with nature. Learn about the Sami’s near sacred animal, the reindeer, the provider of all material things. Be part of the Jokkmokk Winter Market, held since 1605 on the first Thursday of February. Sample the products made from local berries, reindeer meat and indulge in a Michelin worthy meal. Or simply hit the nearest Sami cot for an all-nighter! Drop into the Sami meeting places of Ankarede and Fatmomakke (Sweden’s first church was built here) for more insights into the Sami culture.

Mamma Mia, here we go again... my, my, how can we forget it!!!! Conquering the world stage and at least two generations of listeners, Benny, Björn, Frida & Agnetha (ABBA) put Sweden firmly on the map. The ABBA museum is an ode to the group and is a fun, interactive place featuring all kinds of memorabilia, from costumes to props. There’s a piano that plays whenever Benny hits the keys in his house! Don’t bother with money, money, money – entrance must be paid by card only.

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